Urban Centre · Area profile
Mortlake
5 km²
Daily life in Mortlake is shaped by an ageing population and a strong reliance on cars, though most homes are within a short walk of basic shops and schools. The town has a significantly older feel than the national average, with nearly a third of residents aged 65 or over. While the population shrank by 39% since 2011, the community remains active through high rates of volunteering. It is a predominantly detached-housing area where typical incomes are much lower than the state figure.
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Mortlake is far older than most areas; the typical resident is 52 and 30.9% of people are seniors. The population has fallen from 1,872 in 2011 to 1,147 residents.
The community is overwhelmingly Australian-born, with 83.9% born here and only 9.2% born overseas, which is far below the national figure.
English is the primary language for 91.5% of residents. Only 2.4% use another language at home, a figure that has fallen since 2011 and is far below the state average.
A large number of residents report no religion (43.1%), a figure that has risen by 27 points since 2011 and is well above the national average.
Education levels are lower than most areas, with only 10.1% of adults holding a bachelor degree or higher and 32.6% completing Year 12.
Typical incomes are much lower than those in Victoria, with the typical household earning $926 a week. Only 6.5% of households earn $3,000 or more weekly.
Health challenges are more common here than in most areas; 38.3% of people have a long-term health condition and 9.5% need help with daily activities.
Volunteering is very common at 22.6%, which is well above the national figure. Residents also provide more unpaid care (14.8%) than people in most other areas.
The area has a high number of people living alone (38.6%) and one-parent families (20.7%), both of which are well above state and national levels.
Almost all homes are separate houses (97.8%), and 46.9% are owned outright. Rents are far below the state average at a typical $220 per week.
Cars are essential, as 0% of people commute via public transport and 71% drive to work. Most homes have at least one vehicle.
Movement into the area is relatively low, with 33.1% of people moving in the last five years. Recent overseas arrivals fell sharply from 44.3% in 2011 to 5.7%.
Working or looking for work is less common here (46.8%) than in the rest of the state. The local workforce is concentrated in health care, agriculture, and retail.
Most homes are within a 15-minute walk of groceries, parks, and schools, though no homes have health services within that distance.